Free Lead Me Home by Vicki Lewis Thompson

head. If she became involved with Matthew—and that looked increasingly likely—she had to keep her heart strictly out of it.
    About three hours later, she wondered if that would be possible. She’d walked down to the corral to see if Matthew was indeed riding Houdini as he’d predicted and found that Lester was perched bareback on the black and white Paint. Lester held the knotted reins in one hand, but for extra insurance, he gripped Houdini’s mane with his other as they slowly circled the corral. Matthew had allowed Lester to have the glory of that first ride, and Aurelia’s heart squeezed.
    The smallest of the teens, Lester hadn’t yet found a friend among the other kids. But he’d found a friend in Matthew, and apparently in Houdini, too. Aurelia would bet Lester was now the envy of all seven boys lining the rail. If not for the riding helmet, he would look like a Native American boy who’d just tamed a wild pony.
    The stallion seemed proud to be carrying his small passenger as he moved regally along the fence with his head up and his magnificent white tail sweeping behind him. Matthew stood inside the corral, obviously poised to go to the rescue if necessary. His gaze followed the horse’s every move, although at one point he glanced at Aurelia and gave her a quick smile.
    She smiled back. Befriending Lester and giving him the honor of the first ride on Houdini reinforced what she’d already suspected about Matthew. He liked to help others—both people and animals—succeed. That was a very heartwarming trait.
    “Hey, Lester!” yelled Jeff, the tall thin boy who’d spoken up at lunch. “This is boring! Make him run!”
    “Keep your voice down,” Matthew said. “This is a horse that’s never been ridden, and yet Lester’s doing it after only a few hours of working with him. If you find that boring, you’re welcome to clean out some stalls.”
    “I thought this would be more exciting,” Jeff grumbled. “I want to see him run.”
    Emmett approached the corral from the barn. “Jeff, you’re out of line. Either be quiet or leave the area.”
    When Jeff’s shoulders stiffened, Aurelia crossed her fingers. So far the boys hadn’t had any discipline problems, but Jeff was the most troubled and the one most likely to act out. She hoped he wouldn’t ruin their perfect record today.
    No such luck. Jeff picked up a small rock and threw it at Houdini, hitting him on the rump. The horse bolted, although his ability to run was hampered somewhat by the size of the corral. Still, he was moving fast enough to send Lester flying if he lost his seat.
    From the corner of her eye Aurelia saw Emmett collar Jeff, but her attention was riveted by the drama of the boy, the horse and the man standing in the corral.
    Matthew’s voice rang out, clear and full of confidence. “You’re doing great, Lester. Keep a good hold on that mane. Push your fists down against his neck. That’s it. Sit up straight. Grip with your legs. Terrific!”
    Lester’s face was a pale mask of concentration as he followed Matthew’s directions to the letter. Even from her position outside the corral, Aurelia could see his white-knuckled grasp of Houdini’s mane. But he stayed on the horse.
    “Looking good,” Matthew said. “Feeling good?”
    Lester gave a short, jerky nod.
    “Just keep doing what you’re doing. Nice straight back, good tight hold on his mane, grip with your legs. We’re going to let him run it out. You’re fine. Beautiful job.” Matthew kept up the positive commentary.
    In his place, Aurelia wondered if she would have been able to speak, or if her voice would have been that steady if she could. She didn’t think so. She also didn’t think Matthew was as calm as he appeared. There was a white line around his mouth that indicated he was controlling his emotions so that he could help Lester.
    The boy needed a steady adult voice to talk him through this adventure so he’d come out of it a hero instead of a